Pet Sematary star Leo the Cat dies: 'He will be forever missed'

Leo the Cat, who played the undead version of Church in 2019’s Pet Sematary, has passed away.

Animal trainer Kirk Jarrett, who adopted Leo after filming, announced the sad news on an Instagram account dedicated to his furry friend. “It is with great sadness that we tell you that Leo has passed away. He will forever be missed by his human and fur family. May his star always shine bright,” Jarrett wrote.

While four Main Coons were used for the part, it was Leo’s scowling face that graced the film’s posters. In a recent interview with the AV Club, Jarrett said, “Leo is a confident sit-stay cat. His role is as the undead Church; that was his whole purpose, to be the poster child. The cat you see all across the different platforms, and in the trailer, almost any time he’s in in the undead makeup — that was Leo.”

Pet Sematary stars Jason Clarke and Amy Seimetz as parents who move their family to the edge of the Maine woods, where there is a hidden place that resurrects the dead. John Lithgow costars as a kindly neighbor, who reveals secrets best left buried, and Jeté Laurence plays the couple’s curious daughter, Ellie, who has too much curiosity for her own good.